About Us

MISSION STATEMENT

To inspire artists, audiences, and our diverse community through great performances, enriching experiences, and engaging educational programming.

HISTORY

From the very beginning, The Smith Center was envisioned as a world-class performing arts center that would develop and present the best and brightest in a broad range of first-rate programming and unite the residents of our community. A collection of venues that could both host the world’s finest performances from Broadway shows to world-class concerts, and support and encourage local artists. We wanted to bring the fine art of the world to Downtown Las Vegas, and bring the art of Downtown to the world.

Before ground had even been broken in Symphony Park, The Smith Center was projected to make history with this new cultural complex in Southern Nevada; it would enable Southern Nevada to take its place on an international stage, celebrating artistic excellence, education and culture from around the world.

The great ambition to develop a nationally-renowned performing arts center urged The Smith Center’s design team to visit venues across North America and Europe in 2007 in order to study some of the world’s finest opera houses, concert halls and performance venues. After they toured multiple historic venues including Palais Garnier in Paris, the Musikverein in Vienna and La Scala in Milan, they came together to collaborate their findings and design The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Myron G. Martin, who has remained The Smith Center’s President and CEO from the beginning, has an extensive background in production and performing arts center management.

The Smith Center is funded by a public-private partnership.

Public Sector: The city of Las Vegas provided land, infrastructure, environmental clean-up, and parking to the project and the city of Las Vegas, Clark County and State Legislature collaborated on a car rental fee that resulted in a bond of $105 million – a combined City commitment total of $170 million.

Private Sector: In 2005, The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation granted the project a landmark gift of $50 million in honor of their chairman, Fred W. Smith, and his wife, Mary. This incredible donation led our private funding campaign. Since then, the Reynolds Foundation has continued their generosity, pledging an additional $100 million grant to help complete the campus. This gift is the largest philanthropic donation in state history, and combined with their initial contribution, makes it the second largest donation to the performing arts in the United States.

These amazing private and public donations were essential to the production of the awe-inspiring center that we have today, and it is donations that The Smith Center continues to receive from a variety of companies, organizations, and private citizens that keep the center thriving today in the heart of our culturally-evolving city. Our vision of a world-class arts center has come true, and we have the art-loving community of Downtown Las Vegas to thank for it.

BY THE NUMBERS

$150 million: Donald W. Reynolds Foundation donation

32: Months to build The Smith Center

1.5 million: Man-hours it will take to build

2,600+: Construction workers building The Smith Center

4,000: Tons of structural steel

2,458: Tons of Indiana limestone

29,500 lbs: Weight of bells in the Carillon tower

170 feet: Height of Carillon tower

47: Bells in the Carillon tower

23: Boxes on the box tier in Reynolds Hall

25+: Architects, engineers, designers and consultants

373: Windows in the large hall building

2012: The Smith Center opening

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here you’ll find answers to the most common questions about the construction, architecture, history, design, and community goals of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Set on nearly five acres in Downtown Las Vegas, The Smith Center is at the heart of Symphony Park. We are northeast of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which is at the corner of Bonneville Avenue and Grand Central Parkway.

Inspired by many styles of architecture including Art Deco, The Smith Center is constructed out of Indiana limestone and features smooth masculine lines that are rich in detail. 17 stories above it all is an incredible bell tower that houses a four-octave carillon comprising 47 handcrafted bronze bells. The tower is topped with a stainless steel silver crown.

The Smith Center was designed by an internationally renowned design team. David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. is known for extraordinary buildings. Schwarz has designed two of the most celebrated U.S. performing arts facilities—Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth and Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. Schwarz’s firm is also responsible for designing other great public assembly buildings including the American Airlines Center in Dallas and the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

HKS Architects, Inc., a top-five architectural firm is the executive architect. Fisher Dachs Associates, Inc. is recognized as a leading theater consultant, with more than 250 projects around the globe. Akustiks is known for refined acoustical design and is responsible for recent acoustical successes with the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.

Since the project’s inception, creating a highly efficient and sustainable campus guided the design and construction process. The Smith Center’s sustainable features include energy efficient windows, water wise restroom fixtures and natural lighting. The Smith Center is the nation’s first performing arts center of its size and scope to be LEED certified.

Designed to address the needs of community residents, The Smith Center offers a blend of performances by local arts groups as well as first-run touring attractions, including world-renowned stars and Broadway shows. We feature music including jazz, contemporary, and classical, theater including Broadway, family-friendly events, and local theatre, and dance companies from all over the world. The Smith Center’s resident companies include the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada Ballet Theatre.

The Smith Center stages many performances, workshops and master classes for students in Clark County. The Smith Center has joined with the Clark County School District and the Cultural Division of Clark County to participate in the John F. Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program. This partnership features national and international artists who conduct workshops for teachers and students, connecting the arts to all areas of the curriculum.

In the fall of 2009, The Smith Center became one of 16 regional programs in the country in cooperation with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia. This internationally recognized program enhances preschool education by training teachers how to incorporate creative music, theater and dance into their curricula. Southern Nevada Wolf Trap is in partnership with United Way of Southern Nevada Success By 6 and Citi in Nevada.

Unlike many Las Vegas showrooms, The Smith Center is a technical work of art with the latest advancements and amenities. It accommodates the largest touring attractions, and yet is acoustically refined to showcase the finest soloists. It is a stand-alone, family-friendly cultural arts center that serves the needs of our community, local arts organizations, and our children.

Public Sector: The city of Las Vegas provides land, infrastructure, environmental clean-up, and parking. The city of Las Vegas, Clark County and State Legislature collaborated on a car rental fee that resulted in a bond of $105 million. The City commitment totals $170 million.

Private Sector: In 2005, The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation with a landmark gift of $50 million, in honor of their chairman, Fred W. Smith, and his wife, Mary, led our private funding campaign. Since then, the Reynolds Foundation has continued their generosity, pledging an additional $100 million grant to help complete the campus. This gift is the largest philanthropic donation in state history, and combined with their initial contribution, makes it the second largest donation to the performing arts in the United States.

We continue to receive generous donations from a variety of companies, organizations, and private citizens.

Until the bond on rental car fees is paid, the city of Las Vegas owns the facility and The Smith Center will operate it under a long-term lease agreement. After the bond is paid, The Smith Center anticipates that the city will deed the center back to the Foundation.

The downtown area is an easily accessible city-center location. Its central location makes it an attractive destination for all residents in the valley. In cities across the country, performing arts centers have been an effective tool for downtown revitalization. Based on these case studies, the mayor and city planners were pleased to set aside downtown property for the project. Downtown has transformed into an artistic and cultural hub for Las Vegas, and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is proud to be a part of its revitalization.

A public opinion survey by renowned pollster Frank Luntz showed overwhelming, broad-based support for a performing arts center. A series of feasibility and operating studies support the community’s need for and ability to support The Smith Center. Clark County Commissioners and state legislators scrutinized this information before approving public support of the project. Our successful record of ticket sales for marquee Broadway shows, high-profile entertainers, and national-touring productions support these hypotheses.

Serving as an incubator for new artistic endeavors, our programs reach beyond The Smith Center campus and spread throughout the community, providing inspiration and encouragement to local arts organizations.

The Smith Center’s state-of-the-art facilities enable organizations to flourish artistically and grow institutionally, ultimately fulfilling our city’s longstanding dream of engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through an array of inspiring programs.

Our Sponsors

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a Nevada nonprofit organization registered with the Secretary of State. Contributions may be tax deductible under IRS regulations. Our mission is to provide and preserve a high-quality performing arts center that is embraced by the community and recognized as a vital force by supporting artistic excellence, education and inspiration for all.